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A personal story of mental health

Wed, 2013-07-24 14:22 -- bob.callaghan

A personal story of dealing with mental health issues

"I am Katherine, though I usually go by Kate I’m a 29 year old Christian; I became a Christian when I was 19 years old. I have been involved with my church for many years, running the youth work (writing my own bible plans and setting up a youth band.) as well as being the drummer in the worship group, being involved with evangelism, running local missions and generally loving my Christian walk and church.

On the 22nd July 2010, I lost my memory, I have retrograde amnesia, and I forgot everything 0 – that date. I didn’t know who I was, who my family and friends were, nothing of my church, the youth group, the bible, it had all gone. Yes, certain abilities remained, I knew how to drive a car, though had no road etiquette. I knew how to read and write, but didn’t know what shampoo and conditioner were, let alone how one uses them. Yes, I lost all memory of God, who he was, everything, I went from being a strong Christian to someone who had no concept of God.

Along the way I came to an understanding about some of my past issues, that were very much a live and well in my current day to day living. Addiction, depression and self destructive tendencies; I may have forgotten them, but they remember me. Living with mental health struggles can be so hard, the secular world doesn’t understand it and in many ways the Christian world even less. ‘Depression doesn’t exist’ … ‘all you need is the joy of the Lord’ … ‘God wouldn’t allow you to feel suicidal or leave you with bi-polar’ … ‘God wouldn’t let you forget all about him!’ Yes it is hard being a Christian sometimes, but to be one with mental health issues seems to be even harder.

I know that God loves me, that he also knows my fight with depression. He knows when the sadness it becoming too much and he does intervene, just not always in the way I would like, and usually not within the time concept I would like.

Finding the way in life is the name of the blog website I want people to know God never, never leaves them, no matter what. That no matter how forgotten they feel, he knows them, no matter how deep their pain and confusion, God knows, and they can find the way in life. On the website, there is a link for people to buy my book ‘The day I woke up’ available directly from Amazon, paperback or kindle. If there is anyone reading this that wants to get the word out to the church that mental health is an illness, people need supporting and welcoming, anyone who feels the stigma within churches could be changed then I am really hoping to get involved somehow with helping this happen. I do not fully know how, but I would love to get the word out to people; Good mental health, or bad mental health – GOD loves you."